Dr. Brahim, the physician of Mr. AD, knowingly prescribed medication that caused Mr. D to be in a stuporous and insensible state. That same evening, we were told by family that Dr. Brahim had informed them that he had been assessing Mr. D throughout the day and evening.

We noted fingernail pick marks and abrasions on his right arm, as noted on the attached photograph, for which we request an explanation.

Account

On September 7th, 2007, we visited Mr. ADat the Alberta Hospital Edmonton. During our visit, between 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM, he could not be roused. He appeared to be totally sedated. Periodically, his entire body would jerk.

Mr. D was restrained at his hips but was hanging forward from a chair in a most inhumane manner.

During that period of time, we took Mr. D to his room in search of a pillow in order to reposition him. There was no pillow on his bed so we had to request one.

A female psyche-aide who brought us a pillow, strongly suggested to us that we were not to visit in his room but in the day room. It was troubling that the aide made no effort to reposition or in any way aid or address Mr. D ‘s distressing situation.

We are including three photographs of Mr. D taken while he was restrained in the chair, on September 07, 2007.

A fourth photograph depicts fingernail pick marks and abrasions on his right arm.

Respectfully submitted,

Elder Advocates of Alberta Society

The Alberta Hospital review panel chaired by lawyer R. Allan Harris, determined on October 4, 2007 that Dr. Thomas Bray and Dr. Asad Brahim had failed to meet the criteria for the mental health certificates which declared Mr. D a formal patient, and for that reason, Mr. D was discharged.

Supplementary Complaints to the College of Physicians and Surgeons

“Physicians have a powerful quasi-judicial position in society in that they can detain lawful citizens behind locked doors and remove all property and human rights.”

Dr. Brahim acted in breach of the Mental Health Act when he detained ADbehind locked doors. The Admission Certificates of September 5, 2007, issued by Dr. Asad Brahim and Dr. Thomas Bowles Bray were cancelled by the Mental Health Review Panel on October 3, 2007. The certificates failed to meet the criteria of the Mental Health Act. Mr. D was unlawfully detained at Alberta Hospital.*

Dr. Brahim, the physician of Mr, A.D., knowingly again prescribed medication that caused Mr. D to be in an excessively medicated state on October 19, 2007, Mr. D’s 85th birthday. This was reported to us by the family.

Dr. Asad Brahim misrepresents his professional status and allows it to be widely published that he is a psychiatrist, in fact he is a General Practitioner.

Asad Brahim is untruthful in that he allows it to be widely published that he trained in England. In fact he trained in the West Indies, under the Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobego, April 26, 1968.

Dr. Asad Brahim acted in breach of the Alberta Mental Health Act when he caused/admitted 88 yr. old Anna O. to be admitted to Alberta Hospital against her will. The Admission Certificate signed by Dr. Brahim failed to meet the criteria of the Mental Health Act.

The Ambulance Report stated that she was “waiting alone” at the Sunset Lodge. She was a harmless white haired old lady who liked to watch the “soaps”. Once admitted and detained behind locked doors, she was coerced into signing the “Voluntary Admission Form”.

After about three months, she was discharged from Alberta Hospital, transferred to another lodge, Anna insisted that she had not signed that Form which made her a “voluntary patient”. She was adamant that she had signed a “Clothing Form”, nothing else.

The nurse at Sunset Lodge gave an untruthful Report about Anna stating that frail, skinny Anna had assaulted another resident the previous winter.

That incident never happened.

Frail, Anna wasn’t physically capable of such activity.

A member of Elder Advocates of Alberta Society worked as an RN during the period that Anna was alleged to have assaulted a fellow resident. There could be no record of such an incident.

If in fact this had happened, why was she not dealt with at the time of the alleged incident?

During the time Anna spent at Alberta Hospital, she received no medications, only her eye gtts. etc.

Anna was unlawfully detained at Alberta Hospital.

May 30, 1989, Dr. William Chimich, had 76 year old Paul S. of Spruce Grove unlawfully apprehended. In breach of the Mental Health Act Mr. S. was sent to to Alberta Hospital in an ambulance.

Dr. William Chimich had not seen Paul in over three weeks. Dr. Asad Brahim knowingly accepted this unethical admission into the Geriatric ward, and detained Mr. S, an Alberta citizen, behind locked doors. The entire matter was unlawful and in breach of the Mental Health Act.

Mr. S did not suffer from a mental disorder nor was he a danger to himself or to others, he did not meet the criteria for certification. Mr. S was angry at the detention and called his lawyer, the ombudsman, his physician, the civil liberties office and his Lutheran Pastor. The Pastor was probably the most significant person to help him to be released.

After about six weeks, Dr. Asad Brahim confronted Mr. S with the yellow “voluntary Admission Form and told him that if he did not sign it he would never get out of there. He signed. Mr. S was detained at the mental hospital behind locked doors against his will although now records declare that he was a voluntary patient. He was discharged to an empty basement suite taken there by a nurse and an attendant. He lived in the community until 1994. He made a worthy contribution to community and his church. He had the respect of a large group of friends and advocates who were deeply concerned about the injustices which Paul was made to endure.

How many Alberta seniors are being unlawfully detained behind locked doors at Alberta Hospital Edmonton, seniors who are not a danger to themselves or to others?

On our last visit to the Alberta Hospital we saw old men lined up in the day room wearing only blue hospital gowns with parts of their body exposed. It was cold and the person we were visiting expressed that the temperature was too low.

We know that elderly are being disciplined by being evicted from their elder care facility and sent to Alberta Hospital. Sometimes there is the threat that they will be sent to Alberta Hospital if they are not compliant. The “Voluntary Admission Form” facilitates this abusive process.

Only 39% of Alberta Hospital patients are Involuntary patients, the remainder are allegedly voluntary patients.

* While at the Dickensfield care center, Mr. D sometimes objected to the peri-care he was receiving and that was the excuse to send him to Alberta Hospital. Members of his family intervened and advocated on his behalf at the care center, security was called, they were partially barred. At the Alberta Hospital, police were called because again family members were advocating for the father.

What was happening during the peri-care that caused him to sometimes resist the care? Family were not allowed to be present.

We have several documented accounts on our website of males who were sexually assaulted in long term care facilities.

Furthermore on occasion he suffered soreness due to being left in a soiled incontinent product for long hours, which would have caused him to resist and cry out during care.

We question the character and veracity of Dr. Asad Brahim who has been assigned virtually unlimited power over vulnerable persons.

We included the previous accounts of the unlawful apprehension of Paul S. and unlawful detention of Paul S and Anna O., because it demonstrates that there is an accepted pattern by Dr. Brahim and other physicians of unlawfully detaining Alberta citizens behind locked doors. This criminal behavior has a long standing history.
The Admission Notes of Nels Karstan Norregard, April 22, 1987, state that he was a Voluntary Admission, physician Dr. Asad Brahim. This is a blatant untruth. We know of others.

The matter of Dr. Asad Brahim misrepresenting himself as a psychiatrist (attached) is part of our complaint.

That Dr. Brahim is being untruthful as to where he obtained his education is part of our complaint. Dr. Asad Brahim obtained his medical education in Trinidad Tobego April 26, 1968 (attached).

Furthermore, the matter of the frail, old men lined up in the cold day room wearing only blue hospital gowns with parts of their body exposed is part of our complaint.
Dr. Brahim is responsible for those persons as Director, Gerontology Ward and Director of the Hospital, Alberta Hospital Edmonton.
The horror of the 1982 Ombudsman investigation of Alberta Hospital should not be forgotten. The investigation which exposed that elderly patients were kneed in the groin, kicked, pushed, had coffee and salt thrown in their faces and hair, staff were known to have stepped on patient’s heads. (attached).

No physicians were indicted or in any way held accountable at that time. However we know that some of the present practicing physicians and staff who were reinstated by the union, were part of that scene.

We know that elderly and their families or advocates are being disciplined by having vulnerable elderly evicted from their elder care facility and sent to Alberta Hospital as in the matter of A.D..

Respectfully submitted,

Elder Advocates of Alberta Society

Addendum

In the Nels Karsten Noregaard matter, available documentation indicates that Mr. Norregard was admitted to AHE ” against his will ” on April 22, 1987. However on April 22, 1987, Dr. Brahim had Mr. Norregard sign the Voluntary Admission Form. He stated that the patient has been informed of his right to leave the hospital at any time.

The nurse’s admission notes concerning Nels Karstan Norregard, April 22, 1987, state that he was admitted “voluntarily”. The next day, the same nurse, V. Hutt RPN notes that Mr. Norregaard is still “disoriented to time and place”.

The Discharge Summary of Dr. Asad Brahim. dated 26/07/87 states that mode of admission was voluntary. Mr. Norregard was in a confusional state.

Letter

Please allow us to comment in regard to the available documentation which demands attention:

April 22/87 Mr. Norregard was admitted to Alberta Hospital “against his will”, according to transcript of May 28/99, page 1, line 21 (Mr. Merryweather) However –

The nurses’ admission notes state that he was admitted, “voluntarily”, the next day the same nurse, V. Hutt RPN states that Mr. Norregard is still, “disoriented as to time and place”.

April 22/87, Consent For Diagnostic And Treatment Services – Voluntary Admission Form Dr Brahim had Mr. Norregard sign this form on admission. Page 2 states that the patient has been informed of his right to leave the hospital at any time.

Paragraph 3 of page 2 has no entry which may indicate, Mr. Norregard may not have comprehended the document or that he was in a confusional state, as recorded in Dr. Brahim’s Discharge Summary.

The signing of this form declared Mr. Norregard to be a voluntary patient. A voluntary patient cannot appeal for advocacy. In 1987, the Office of the Ombudsman had jurisdiction and since 1990, the Patient Mental Health Advocate has jurisdiction.

Mr. Norregard left the ward @ 9:30 AM and was brought back to the ward against his wishes. (Nurses notes) . What about the Voluntary Admission Form he signed on April 22/87 with Dr. Brahim stating that he could leave if he wanted (Page 2)

“He wanted to call his lawyer”. (Nurses notes)

May 1/87 Mr. Norregard was certified by Mental Health certificates – Form II

Dr. Brahim certified as follows:

“confused and disoriented to time and place” “total lack of judgement and insight”

“patient is incapable of taking care of himself” “delusional and would need supervision” “incapable of taking care of himself” (repeated)

Dr. Slavos Hontella certified as follows:

“moderately confused in time and even in place” “he wants to go home and sell the car and the home”

Dr Hontella also marked off on the form, “is in a condition presenting a danger to himself or others”.

May 4/87 “Expressed desire to leave hospital.” (nurses notes)

May 6/87 Schedule I, Form I signed by Dr. Assad Brahim – as follows:

“patient is incapable of looking after himself or making any reasonable decisions”

“confused, disoriented to time and place”

May 12/87 Apparently, Mr. Norregard made Application to the Mental Health Review Panel, to have his Certificates reviewed and dismissed. We have not received a copy of this Application. It is not noted in the nurse’ notes.

May 15/87 “Demanding to go to Bank of Montreal” (nurses notes)

May 21/87 “Is disoriented at times”… “Will be discharged to a suitable setting in the community after further assessment…Presents no problem with elimination at this time. Total assessment complete and no new problems noted at present time.” (nurses notes)

May 28/87 “Dr. Brahim was made aware of Pt’s absence from the unit before lunch (1130hr).” “Prior to leaving, Nels discussed his certificates with staff…” “She records his jacket as being “beige” when in fact it was green” (nurses notes)

It would have been helpful if the nurse had recorded what Mr. Norregard stated concerning the certificates.

Mona Marshall RPN, who was a signee of the 4 page, Assessment of Decision Making, fails to make mention of this document in the nurses’ notes. It is curious that three staff members would sit around and fill out this form when the 81 year old elder is missing from the facility.

After supper, May 28/87, Form 8 is filled out by Dr. Brahim and senior staff are notified that Mr. Norregard is missing.

On May 28/87, the weather was warm however there had been some precipitation with light winds. The next day, May 29/87, was mainly cloudy with thunder showers, winds west 25. Saturday, May 30/87, mainly sunny with scattered evening thunderstorms, winds south 20. Similar unsettled weather on May 31/87.

Dr. Brahim does not record the signing of the Voluntary Admission Form Consent For Diagnostic And Treatment Services

Refers to Form 8 under the Mental Health Act

Dr. Brahim stated on Page 2, paragraph 3:

“By June 1, there was no word concerning the whereabouts of Mr. Norregard. The police had been looking for him and numerous media people had also been involved. Mr. Norregard’s certificates lapsed on June 1, 1987 and therefore his status was changed to voluntary after having gone out of the ward without permission”. (Not true. The police had not been looking for him prior to June 1/87.) “July 18, 1987…discharged from the hospital”

How disturbing! When we fail to be able to account for our vulnerable patients, we simply declare their status as voluntary and then discharge them.

We ask elderly persons to sign voluntary consent forms and them declare them to be “confusional” and “delusional”.

If in fact he was confused, they failed to protect him. When the police were notified of his absence, they were informed that there was no urgency.

The declared status of this elder was changed from, informal, to voluntary, to certified, and again to voluntary, all within a period of forty days. Then for no obvious reason, he was officially discharged.

In summary, we believe that someone should have to give an account of the unusual and confusing process to which Mr. Norregard was subjected, preferably the provocator, Dr. Assad Brahim.

To date we have not received:

a copy of the Application to the Mental Health Review Panel, requesting that his Certificates be reviewed and dismissed.

a copy of the form 8 which would have been the form submitted to the Police.

a copy of the Statement of Benefits Paid of the Alberta Health Statement as it relates to Mr. Norregard after he arrived in Alberta.